Most people relish the idea of being somebody else, for reasons intelligible only to themselves. Or so I thought. A perusal of freshmen psychology books suggests that people have many views about themselves. If that Joe and Harry Luft were so acceptable of their "true" selves they would not have named their mental contraption, the 'Johari' window. Ah so!

In fairness to their idea, it (finally) dawned on me that people do walk through life assuming many identities. I doff my bandana (whenever I can) to my lecturer over at "Unhan Patyo" who was fond of constructing/deconstructing paradigms in our class. "Meanings are in people." I guess he meant that only the introverts among us are significant. Poor extroverts they are reduced to the barely minimum threshold of insignificance. Well anybody can second guess me that this interpretation doesn't hold water at all.

Anyway tracking back to the main stream of thought, I have an acquaintance of long bygone years, Ernest. He was the Pinoy version of Tom Cruise even before Tom went on a cruise on the Venetian canals with his lady love. His eyes glint on a foreboding mischief bordering on the already familiar "usliton". Among ourselves and we were not that many, Ernest was a person with promise: articulate, willing to learn, proactive, in brief a go go guy.

His career in government service was greatly helped by this personable character. He ended up as head of the administrative division and enjoyed the perks of the position thanks to that kind of power that only grows when you are always near the power center - affective power. Perks however have a darker side too. The more you enjoy them, frequently you crave for more. Insanely insatiable.

Well, the system indeed has ways to gooble you up, make you lose whatever decency you may still have clinging steadfastly. Me? Been there, done that but I have my share of perks too but not that kind... you know I go for those perky *@#%.